Adventure, action and quirky humour in a Japanese samurai setting. Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Samurai kids series
(6 books)

Fussell, Sandy & Nest James, Rhian (ill)

21738

Samurai secrets

Napoleon is going back to 13th Century Japan, to the second Mongol invasion by Kublai Khan. But, he is in for a huge shock, he's not going alone. His father, Captain Smythe is going with him and he has a huge secret.

Sarah has come from Maine to live on the prairie farm to be mother to two children, but she misses the sea.

ISBN 9780744560169

Publisher Walker Books, 1998

MacLachlan, Patricia

97104

Saturn

Fascinating facts about the planet, Saturn, and the solar system. Includes photographs, a glossary and website links.

ISBN 9781420211948

Series
New Solar System, The series
(6 of 12)

Publisher MacMillan, 2007

Birch, Robin

13000

Save our sharks

The Seaport Junior Sharks just can't win a game. Their coach is in trouble, their footy ground is unsafe due to lack of rain and the team needs more players. They are in danger of ceasing to exist but the Sharks never give up.

Charlie, the goalie, believes his lucky gloves are the secret of his success and that he will not be able to win the tournament without them. He must overcome his superstition to help his team win or be responsible for them losing.

ISBN 9781405245265

Series
David Beckham Academy series, The
(4 books)

Publisher Egmont Childrens, 2009

The David Beckham Academy staff

17478

Saving Arthur

Casey Cantrell's mother buys an antique grandfather clock but when Casey turns the clock's key, she is magically transported back to the time of King Arthur.

When Gemma sees a starving, neglected horse, she is determined to help him survive. Gemma soon discovers that, with everyone trying to stop her including the owner and her parents, saving the horse won't be easy.

Cute, cuddly and completely misunderstood, giant pandas are endangered, with fewer than 2500 adults left in the wild. Find out about their life cycle, their diet, mating habits and why we need to protect this endangered species.

Once there were two little girls who were best friends. They did everything together. As they got older they weren't allowed to do the same thing anymore. Because they looked different. Because of the law. This is a story about the landmark 1967 Referendum, the two women who came together to change the law...and how the Australian people said yes.

Find out about bloody Viking raids on England and France, Viking society, weaponry and mythology. Lots of fascinating snippets of information and explanations of foreign or ancient words.

ISBN 9781420267877

Series
Ancient and Medieval people series
(6 books)

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2009

Park, Louise & Love, Timothy

18524

Scarecrow and his servant, The

An ordinary scarecrow, struck by lightning, comes to life. Jack becomes his faithful servant. As the scarecrow plunges them into terrifying dangers, Jack does not realises he's being followed by a family desperately wishing it had never happened.

ISBN 9780440863762

Publisher Corgi Books, 2005

Pullman, Philip

21546

Scarlet and Ivy: Lights under the lake, The

Locals say that at night the troubled souls buried in the ancient flooded graveyard no longer rest in peace...Twins Scarlet and Ivy Grey can't wait to sign up for the school trip and get away from lessons for a few days. But nothing is as it seems; the creepy lakeside hotel and the deep waters of Lake Seren hide dark secrets. Precious things disappear from their rooms, a malicious force leaves a trail of destruction and mysteries start to surface. If they ever hope to leave this place, the girls from Rookwood School must face the danger head on...

ISBN 9780008218324

Publisher HarperCollins Children's Books, 2017

Cleverly, Sophie

4854

Scatterbungle

Ella's school and the rest of the world are under attack, by Scatterbungle. The Magicals are being stripped of their powers and it is Ella's destiny as the Clearheart to stop the devastation.

When Poppy Fields and her best friend, Graham, go on a weekend trip to the zoo, it soon becomes apparent that the staff there are not happy. Then, one of them suddenly dies. Then another and another. Someone's using the animals to do their dirty work for them and the results are not pretty. The intrepid pair must uncover the murderer before they, too, become dead meat.

ISBN 9781406323719

Series
Poppy Fields series
(9 books)

Publisher Walker Books, 2010

Landman, Tanya

Scholastic question & answer series

Answers to the questions you always wanted to ask and ideal for quizzing your friends. Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Scholastic question & answer series
(4 books)

Various

8697

School days for Ruby

It's 1931.and Ruby is settling into life at her new school in the country. When a desperately poor family moves to the area, no-one wants to be friends with them. Ruby will have to choose sides and she has already made one enemy at school, Doris Spinks. Ruby wants to do what she believes is right. And she wonders what Doris knows about Ruby's beloved dad who is missing.

Any two Orbit or Touchdown magazines can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
School magazine - Orbit and Touchdown
(20 books)

School magazine team

2302

School Magazine Anthology for Years 5-6

A great collection of exciting and beautifully illustrated stories in a different format. To read the articles go to https://products.schools.nsw.edu.au/prc/magazine.html

Series
School magazine - Orbit and Touchdown
(20 books)

School magazine team

3825

School of wizardry

Twelve year old Randal's apprenticeship in the School of Wizardry is marred when he realises one of the master wizards is using evil spells to destroy the school and gain supreme power.

ISBN 9780733616891

Publisher Hodder Headline Australia Pty Ltd, 2004

Doyle, Debra & Macdonald, James D

Schooling around series

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Schooling around series
(4 books)

Griffiths, Andy

26153

Science book, The

Explore science through twenty-four big ideas, the key concepts to help understand how science works in your world. Bursting with facts and close-up graphics, this book explains tricky concepts using accessible visuals. Discover why supercooling frogs show how living things adapt to their environment and how the bumps on a whale's fin help aeroplanes to fly.

Robots work in surgery, laboratories and medical research. Find out how.

ISBN 9781420205527

Series
Robots and robotics series
(4 of 6)

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2007

Hyland, Tony

10014

Scorpion sting

Sam is caving in the desert when the roof collapses, trapping his brother. But when Sam reaches the cave exit, he meets a sea of huge, angry scorpions. That's just the first deadly obstacle he will have to face to save his brother.

Whenever they can, Jack and his family escape to Seahorse Bay. On one visit, Jack is excited to discover a sunken boat, not far off the coast. When he shows his father, they realise it's in pristine condition and decide to take on the challenge of salvaging it. When the mysterious boat is finally raised, the adventure begins.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Wild animals are turning to a life of crime and it's all the work of evil Doctor Evil Mac Evilness. Secret Agent Derek Danger Dale must outwit a criminal mastermind, escape the clutches of the four most deadly creatures on the planet and save the world's biggest diamond.

Evil Doctor Evil MacEvilness has created a magnet so powerful that it can attract anything. Now, he's using it to steal whatever he wants. To stop him, Secret Agent Derek Danger Dale must go undercover and apply for a job as one of MacEvilness' own goons. Derek must also survive his close encounters with Petunia, the Giant Piranha, and the Notoriously Nasty but Nevertheless Nifty Ninjas.

Twelve year old Scarlett is the star and the victim of her mum's popular blog. The butt of school jokes, she's eager to stay firmly out of the spotlight. So, when Scarlett discovers the kitchen next door, left empty by an elderly neighbour in hospital, she begins to bake from the hand written recipe book she finds. As more people find out and Scarlett's confidence grows, The Secret Cooking Club is formed. Scarlett's life changes forever.

ISBN 9781910655245

Publisher Chicken House, 2016

Remington, Laurel

344

Secret Garden, The

After losing her parents, young Mary Lennox is sent from India to live in her uncle's gloomy mansion on the wild English moors. She is lonely and has no one to play with. But, when she learns of a hidden, secret garden, somewhere in the grounds that no one is allowed to enter, Mary discovers a world she could never have imagined.

ISBN 9780192835963

Publisher Oxford University Press, 2001

Burnett, Frances Hodgson

35426

Secret history of Tom Trueheart, The

Tom's six older brothers go on dangerous quests in the Land of Stories. They are famous for the exciting endings they discover for the tales the Story Bureau assigns to them. When his brothers fail to return from their adventures it is up to Tom to find out why his brothers haven't completed their missions.

ISBN 9780192792372

Series
Tom Trueheart series
(1 of 3)

Publisher Oxford University Press, 2007

Beck, Ian

111127

Secret missions

Somehow Scott, Rudy and AJ want to help the Halycrusians but they have slipped through the wrong portal. They don't even know which world have they landed in.

ISBN 9781420218701

Series
Out of this world series
(9 of 16)

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2007

Wong, Keira & Fong, Douglas (ill)

4581

Secret of the black bushranger, The

By the 1790s orphaned Barney Bean finally has his own farm in the early NSW colony. All his dreams are coming true. But now we are to learn of Barney's biggest secret yet: how he helped Australia's first bushranger escape. Was Black Caesar a wronged man, an ex-slave who vowed to be free? Or was he a laughing villain, a trickster who planned to terrorise the colony? And in helping him, did Barney do right or wrong? You decide.

After a terrible battle, many of little Bull's warriors are wounded. Omri has to get them medical help but he must also protect the secret of the Indian.

ISBN 9780380710409

Series
The Indian in the cupboard series
(5 of 5)

Publisher HarperTrophy, 2003

Banks, Lynne Reid

6132

Secret of the lonely isles, The

Jem's world has been turned upside down by a family crisis, and then it gets worse. Along comes Ella, Jem's great-aunt, who's also a solo round-the-world sailor. She decides that what Jem, his sister, Maddy, and brother, Tyler, need is a sea change. Seasickness isn't the only thing that Jem adds to his list of woes. He keeps having strange and troubling dreams, and someone is stalking them.

Colt Lawless has been performing superhuman acts all over town. To protect his secret identity, he and Birdy have come up with the ultimate disguise. Superclown - completely fearless and impossibly strong. But when he wrestles with an angry panther at a crowded school disco, it looks like Superclown's cover is blown already.

There's something weird going on in the woods behind Ax and Tobias' place. It seems the Yeerks have figured out that Andalites cannot survive without a feeding ground. Visser Three knows the Andalites don't feed where he does, so there can only be one other place. Cassie and the Animorphs must find a way to stop a bogus logging camp. If Visser Three finds Ax in the woods, he will also find the Animorphs.

ISBN 9780590997294

Series
The Animorphs series
(9 of 10)

Publisher Scholastic US, 1997

Applegate, K A

9955

Secrets in the Tingle Forest

The book follows twelve year old Sharni on a journey into the Tingle Forrest. It is exactly a year since Sharni's father died in a horrific forestry incident and she is still in deep mourning. Sharni blames her mother for her father's death.

Doran, the Dragonlover, is compelled to undertake the great task of introducing the wonders of Deltora to travellers. Follow his expedition through the seven gem territories and gain an insight into Deltora's dangers, people and places, magic and monsters, creatures and customs. Keen readers may even uncover a hidden message.

Ellie loves fossils and has the opportunity to go on a dig with Tom and Peta. When they encounter ruthless criminals illegally mining for valuable fossils, they must work together to survive.

ISBN 9780734409126

Publisher Thomas C Lothian Pty Ltd, 2006

Gwyther, Sherryl

2972

Secrets we keep, The

Clem Timmins has lost it all, her house, her possessions and her clothes. Now living in a tiny flat with her dad, she has to go to a new school, far from what she knows. On Clem's first day, she meets Ellie and, to fit in, Clem reveals a secret she immediately regrets sharing. When Clem receives a letter she doesn't want to read, it becomes clear that she can't run from her past forever, especially when the truth appears right in front of her face.

A board book for big kids. Double page annotated pictures with over seventy flaps that hide interesting pirate information and cross-sectional illustrations of what is going on below decks, about to happen in the near future or useful background knowledge.

ISBN 9780746070048

Series
See inside Usborne flap books series NEW SERIES 2018
(5 books)

Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2007

Jones, Rob Lloyd & Muhle, Jorg (ill)

43435

See inside space stations and other spacecraft

Blast off for an amazing inside view of spacecraft- from the early days of the Space Race to building a space station, exploring Mars and more.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
See inside Usborne flap books series NEW SERIES 2018
(5 books)

Various

23341

See inside world religions

More than five billion people across the world follow a religion. Life the flaps to discover the many ways people pray, worship and celebrate world religions.

ISBN 9781409594574

Series
See inside Usborne flap books series NEW SERIES 2018
(5 books)

Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2017

Frith, Alex & Ablett, Barry

21591

See inside your body

Peel away the layers of your body to find out what is going on beneath! This book investigates all of the crucial processes the body undergoes every day, looking at all the important internal organs involved. Find out what happens to an apple once you eat it, how breathing works and why we need to do it, and just how your amazing brain does what it does. Every page is filled with flaps - lift them to reveal the fascinating facts underneath!

Dr Trifle invents a robot called Frank to make life a bit easier. When the Trifles are out, Selby gets Frank to wait on him hand and paw, but things start to go awry when Selby realises just how clever Frank is.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Selby series
(22 books)

Ball, Duncan

9874

Selby shattered

The Search for Selby Society is hot on Selby's tail and, as if that wasn't bad enough, so are ghostly gagsters and the Triple Terror in this story full of shipwrecks, evil curses and more. No wonder Selby is shattered after dealing with all that.

Selby is hurled out of the world's only sky-writing embroidery aeroplane to what should be certain death. Vampires invade Selby's peaceful town, and Selby is captured by a Shark Man on Death Island. The death-defying dog is put to the test time and again in these gut-wrenching and hilarious stories. And, all the while, Morrie Artie, the Evil Genius, and his thousands of agents comb Australia in search of this remarkable dog.

From the only talking dog in Australia, and perhaps the world, comes a rip-snorting, rib-tickling collection of good-time gags, jokes, riddles and funny sayings guaranteed to send you into peels of laughter.

Selby, the talking dog, dreams of cosy fireside chats with his owners but he realises he must keep his powers a secret otherwise he might be turned from family pooch to family servant. It won't be easy.

New Zealand is home to many fascinating creatures. From a prehistoric reptile to one of the world's largest insects, you'll discover some of the most unusual and impressive species on our planet.

ISBN 9781921150661

Publisher Walker Books Australia Pty Ltd, 2010

Morris, Sandra

Series of unfortunate events

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Series of unfortunate events
(13 books)

Snicket, Lemony

4952

Serpents & werewolves: Stories of animal shape-shifters from around the world

Werewolves, talking snakes and cursed princes are the stuff of fairy tales. Stories that we have all heard and enjoyed but with a modern twist.
Slimy, ugly frogs wanting a favour, playful sisters who tease their older brother, brides who cannot live with any secrets, and unusual household items that are best left untouched. Stories crafted to be read aloud and shared. Illustrated with simple silhouettes.

ISBN 9781472916341

Publisher Bloomsbury, 2015

Don, Lari & Greenwold, Francesca (ill)

112370

Settlement & exploration

Well-organised under clear headings and well-presented information on the early settlement of Australia and exploration of Australia's inland and coastline with contents, websites, a glossary and ideas for related things to do.

ISBN 9781740702225

Series
Australian Library series
(14 of 21)

Publisher Heinemann,

Barwick, John & Jennifer

348

Seven little Australians

The seven Woolcot's children live in cheerful turmoil with their father who does not understand them and their young mother. Among them is Judy, spirited, brave and clever. A classic story of family life in Australia during the 19th century.

This story is based on two real life events. Never have Aman and his mother needed a friend more than when a Springer Spaniel appears, thin and war-ravaged, in the mouth of their Afghan cave. Nursed back to health by Aman, the dog becomes a constant companion, a shadow. But, as life in war-torn Afghanistan becomes more dangerous, Aman, his mother and Shadow embark upon the treacherous journey from Afghanistan to a relative's home in Manchester, England, where they hope to be safe.

A giant log falls from the sky on to his parents' car and changes forever the lives of Samuel Blink and his sister, Martha. Don't tell Samuel that he is going to be a hero because he doesn't know it yet. Don't tell him he is going to Norway to live with his aunt and uncle beside a mysterious forest into which his loved, little sister will disappear. Samuel doesn't know any of this and it might ruin the book if you tell him.

ISBN 9780552555630

Publisher Corgi Books, 2007

Haig, Matt

907

Shadow sister

Tao is learning to be a dragonkeeper but, with no one to teach him, there are dangers at every turn for him and his dragon, Kai. Tricks by unseen spirits, attacks by giant seven-headed snakes and a ghost who turns blood into ice, all test Tao to prove he is worthy.

Pud, Cuppy and Skeeta must be real men enough to stay out camping, even after telling really wicked, snake stories. They may be taken by the mutant crocodile-man lurking in the dark shadows. Some coarse language in context.

Milli and Ernest live in Drabville, where the houses and people are all the same. Milli yearns for adventure and when they get kidnapped to Hog House, they need to outwit Lord Aldor to escape and save their town.

The Four Sisters are poisoning Deltora and starving its people. Lief, Barda and Jasmine have found and destroyed the first of the Sisters. Now they must find the second hidden within the mountains that border the Shadowlands.

This week's edition of The Shaggy Gully Times, the punniest newspaper, is jam-packed with exciting news from a small town full of interesting animals we have met before, including barber, Pete the sheep, and Josephine, famous ballerina.

Shahana is almost fourteen and has not known a life of peace. She lives near the Line of Control, the border, patrolled by Pakistani and Indian soldiers, that divides Kashmir.Her parents are dead and Shahana must leave school to look after her younger brother and grandfather. 'Freedom fighters' from both sides roam, looking for food, children to recruit and worse. And, other dangers lurk from within her own community.

When three young boys go to a pizza parlour and meet an Aboriginal chef who can speak Italian and make a deadly pizza, they're in for a surprise, learning about aboriginal culture in a light-hearted and humorous manner with eye-catching graphic novel style illustrations.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Shakespeare stories series
(12 books)

Matthews, Andrew & Ross, Tony (ill)

19991

Shaolin tiger

Sensei and his students from the Cockroach Ryu (school) travel by sea from Japan to China to give aid to the Shaolin Monks. The boat's captain is drowned and Yoshi, who tried to save him, is left troubled. In China, one of Sensei's past students, Qing-Shen, is determined to gain retribution for Sensei's broken promise. The Little Cockroaches must protect Sensei by outsmarting Qing-Shen.

Julia's life is overshadowed by the death of her little sister. From her forbidden treehouse, Julia can see everything and she hides secret treasures there. In her house, there are secrets too but Julia can't figure them out by herself.

Sharks have been around since before the dinosaurs and there are more than 370 types of sharks in the world. Some are ferocious and others are just plain shy. Beautiful photographs and detailed information reveal the majesty of the shark and why many varieties are protected.

This is an illustrated, rhyming book with modern language and scenarios in which Sharon is marrying Jase and moving into his shed which is not quite big enough. Jase has an interesting solution to the problem.

The time has come to seek the fourth gem, kept jealously by an unknown guardian in a barren wasteland. Separation, confusion and strange, terrible enemies await the three heroes in the harsh landscape of the Shifting Sands.

Eleven year old Lexie Lewis, who lives with her strict grandparents, is desperate to rejoin her mother, a carefree singer in San Francisco. Lexie seizes the chance by writing the best letter to accompany her school's doll to San Francisco, as part of the 1926 friendship program in the Hinamatsuri festival. In her efforts, Lexie must overcome many obstacles and make the most difficult decision of her life.

ISBN 9780763670030

Publisher Candlewick Press, 2014

Parenteau, Shirley

11961

Shipwreck

This is a spectacular and informative guide to some of the world's most significant shipwrecks. Includes full-colour photographs of submerged wrecks and their lost cargoes and treasures.

ISBN 9780751361070

Series
Eyewitness series
(36 books)

Publisher Dorling Kindersley, 1997

Platt, Richard & Wilson, Alex & Chambers, Tina (phot)

98108

Shipwreck, sailors & 60,000 years: 1770 and all that happened before then

The Indigenous people of Australia lived here for tens of thousands of years, surviving an ice age and ancient global warming. They saw oceans sink and rise and watched mega-beasts disappear. Theirs is the oldest civilisation in the world. Along came the Dutch, the Portuguese and then the British and things were never the same again.

The Space Brigade are on an incredible journey that will take them across infested rivers, snowy swamplands and frozen seas. Along the way they'll learn new skills, make new friends - and they might just change the planet of Shobble's history forever.

Jelly Jackson and her netball team are the clear favourites to win the League Final when their competition is cancelled due to a council ban on competitive sports. They embark on a campaign to convince the community this is a mistake.

ISBN 9781843625605

Publisher Orchard Books, 2005

Impey, Rose

4069

Shop at Hoopers Bend, The

Eleven-year-old Jonquil (known as Quil) Medway is a girl with more than an unusual name. Quil's parents died in a car accident when she was a baby and she now goes to boarding school. She spends her holidays with an aunt - or at camp, which is where Quil is heading when she decides to get off early at a train stop called Hoopers Bend. It is there that Quil meets Pirate, a chunky little white dog with black spots who immediately adopts her. Pirate has also adopted Bailey, a crabby older lady who has gone to Hoopers Bend to check out the shop that has been left to her by an uncle. There is something magical about the shop at Hoopers Bend though, and once it casts its spell on Quil and Bailey they are drawn together in an unlikely friendship. Together they join to fight to save the shop from developers.

Julia is very short for her age, but by the end of the summer she'll realise how big she is inside, where it counts. This is the summer she gets cast as a munchkin in a production of The Wizard of Oz. Through some new friendships, and her turn in the spotlight, she finds that she may not be as tall as everyone else, but she more than deserves to hold her head high.

ISBN 9781743816516

Publisher Scholastic Australia, 2017

Goldberg Sloan, Holly

15160

Short and incredibly happy life of Riley, The

Riley's life is short but happy as he revels in the moment and has no need of material possessions.

Sport loving Toby can't believe his luck when instead of being punished by his parents, they issue him with a sporting challenge. All he has to do is take 20 wickets in the cricket season and make 10 tries in rugby to earn the latest gamebox. But unfortunately the new boy at school seems to be blocking Toby all the way.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Shoutykid series
(5 books)

Mayle, Simon & Catlow, Nikalas (ill)

4909

Shoutykid: How Harry Riddles got nearly almost famous

My name is Harry Riddles and I live with my parents, my evil sister and my twin baby brothers in Cornwall. But, my dad has this crazy idea to take us sailing round the world. I guess swimming with dolphins, learning to scuba dive and climbing volcanoes could be pretty cool. But, I want to win the school Battle of the Bands competition and get Jess to go out with me. I can't do that if I'm stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

ISBN 9780007531905

Series
Shoutykid series
(5 books)

Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2015

Mayle, Simon & Catlow, Nikalas (ill)

41515

Shoutykid: How Harry Riddles made a mega amount of money

Ok, here's the deal. My school is running out of money and might even have to close, but then my friend Jessica told everyone I could raise the mega-bucks and keep it open! But Ed Bigstock was like, "Harry's just a dumb gamer! The only thing he knows how to save is his last score!". But Bigstock's the real doughnut here, and I'll show him and everybody else- right after I finish playing (and slaying) at the new World of Zombies Run! game.

ISBN 9780008158927

Series
Shoutykid series
(5 books)

Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2017

Mayle, Simon & Catlow, Nikalas (ill)

2497

Shoutykid: how Harry Riddles made a mega-amazing zombie movie

Ten-year-old Harry has an older sister who is a constant source of irritation and a father who is a film writer, currently in a slump, so finances are extremely tight. To add to this, Jessica is the new girl at school to whom he is too shy to speak and online bullies in has favourite game. Harry's claim to fame is his computer gaming and his love of Zombies, which he decides to combine and make an animated movie.

ISBN 9780007531882

Series
Shoutykid series
(5 books)

Publisher HarperCollins Children's Books, 2014

Mayle, Simon & Catlow, Nikalas (ill)

4919

Shoutykid: how Harry Riddles mega-massively broke the school

I live with my mum, my dad and my evil sister, Charlotte. My mum is having twins so either me or Charlotte will lose our bedroom. Dad's moaning that I should do more sport and not be just a gamer. I've joined the school football team although if we win anything it will be a miracle. I've written to some football stars to see if they can help and to a bunch of people who might take Charlotte off our hands.

ISBN 9780007531899

Series
Shoutykid series
(5 books)

Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2015

Mayle, Simon & Catlow, Nikalas (ill)

932

Shoutykid: How Harry Riddles totally went wild

When he is packed off on a school trip for half term, Harry is less than thrilled. He had planned to spend his holidays shooting zombies, not kayaking, abseiling and perfecting his archery skills. Even worse than all the outdoor activities, Harry has been put in a dorm with his arch enemy, Ed Bigstock. And, if Ed finds out that Harry is afraid of the dark, he will have a whole lot more to deal with.

ISBN 9780008158880

Series
Shoutykid series
(5 books)

Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2016

Mayle, Simon & Catlow, Nikalas (ill)

3969

Shrek: the novel

A contemporary fairy tale of a monster from the swamp.

ISBN 9780141312491

Publisher Penguin, 2001

Weiss, Ellen

354

Shrinking of Treehorn, The

Treehorn has a problem. He is shrinking but his parents don't seem to notice.

ISBN 9780823401895

Publisher Holiday House, 1992

Heide, Florence Parry & Gorey, Edward (ill)

6653

Sian, a new Australian

Sian is the unlucky, thirteenth child in a Welsh coalminer's family. Life is hard. Her mother died after giving birth to her and her father is grief-stricken. Sian's sister hatches a plan for a better life. It will involve a long ocean voyage but Sian is looking forward to a country where the sun shines and she can go to school, instead of picking coal scraps for pennies. The only problem is, no one must know about their journey.

One hundred years ago, AFL football was quite different. Footy grounds were rough and muddy, and the game was characterised by long, passing kicks. Jumpers were canvas cotton vests, laced up the centre, and shorts were long and worn with long socks. Caps and hats were often worn. These were tough times of war and depression. But, from the very beginning, Collingwood Football Club wanted to win.

It's 1935 and Tom is off with Grandpa to watch his favourite team at footy training. As they walk through the gates of Victoria Park, his grandfather removes his black and white Collingwood scarf and gives it to Tom. This scarf has been passed down through generations of Collingwood supporters.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Significant people in Australia's history series
(9 books)

Barrett, Rees

17448

Silk & venom

Love them or hate them, spiders are feared and misunderstood by many. Join Greta Binford, a biology professor and arachnologist, on a trek to the Caribbean in search of the elusive Loxosceles, a deadly recluse spider. The DNA in its venom may hold the answer to many scientific questions. Amazing photographs will get you up close and personal with many spiders.

ISBN 9780763642228

Publisher Candlewick Press, 2011

Lasky, Kathryn & Knight, C G (photo)

21024

Silver brumbies of the south

Lightning, Thowra's second foal out of Golden is two years old, so Thowra takes him south to find a kingdom of his own. With them goes Baringa, Kunama's and Tambo's yearling colt. Despite Lightning's obvious beauty, it is Baringa that wins the heart of the most beautiful filly of Quambat flat, Dawn. Baringa will have to use all of his cunning and all he has been taught to keep Dawn.

Baringa, grandson of the mighty silver brumby, was frantic. The rain fell in heavy sheets, changing the river into a raging torrent. Dawn, his lovely cream filly, had been swept away in the force of the current.

Thowra's speed and courage have always saved him from the men who want to capture him but now the men come on skis, quickly and silently over the mountain range. This time, they know the legendary silver stallion has a daughter, a beautiful, highly prized, sliver brumby, and the brumby hunters are determined to capture her, no matter what it takes.

Thowra, the magnificent silver stallion, is king of the brumbies. He will defend his herd from the mighty horse, The Brolga, in the most savage of struggles. Thowra also needs his speed and cunning to save the herd from capture by man.

A blind soldier, who has deserted from the war, wants to return to England to see his brother before he dies. Two young girls befriend him. The soldier shares four stories about donkeys throughout history that have been brave, kind and trustworthy.

Rye risks everything to save his brothers and the city of Weld. He and Sonia are determined to find and destroy the enemy, after barely escaping from the world beyond the golden door, but they won't give up, their quest must continue.

After her adventures as a pirate, Lily Swann finds life ashore very dull. So, when Napoleon's siege threatens Malta, and her father prepares to leave his family again, Lily seizes her chance. Lily, her mother and her younger brother find themselves in the thick of a daring scheme to save Malta but things don't go according to plan, and once again Lily has to face her nemesis, Captain Diablo.

Stephen is not keen to meet his great aunt Lola, who is turning eighty. He discovers she is not only very old but also grumpy and scary. When Stephen meets an unexpected friend, Allie, he shares the simple things in life, like fishing, cricket and climbing trees. A medical emergency with aunt Lola leads to a secret being revealed and Stephen wondering if he has also made another new friend, aunt Lola.

Caruso, the singing gibbon, has been sneaking out of his cage at night, and Colt thinks he knows why. Ever since he joined the Lost World Circus, he's been able to do all kinds of impossible things. He can understand animals, pick up an elephant and catch a helicopter. But is Colt strong enough to face what happens when he tries to set Caruso free.

Tree-ear has a dream. He has watched the master potter, Min, take a lump of clay and shape it into a thing of beauty. Tree-ear wants to perform the miracle too. But, an orphan like Tree-ear can't just walk up to a master potter and ask him to teach his craft. Tree-ear must prove he is worthy so he asks if he can work for him, without pay. Tree-ear has taken his first step but realising a dream can be very hard.

ISBN 9780702239373

Publisher University of Queensland Press, 2012

Park, Linda Sue

31862

Sir Katherine

When Katherine's parents die of the plague, her grandmother decides it would be safer to raise her as a boy. Little do they know that 'Kit' will be made a knight of King Arthur's court and sent on a dangerous quest to rescue one of the Queen's maidens from a dragon.

Raina can't wait to be a big sister. But, once Amara is born, things aren't quite what she expected. Amara is cute but she's also a cranky baby, who mostly prefers to play by herself. Over the years, their relationship doesn't improve much. When a baby brother enters the picture and something doesn't seem right between their parents, Raina and Amara realise they must work out how to get along. They are sisters, after all.

This Sisters Grimm are a welcome addition to the family of literary girl sleuths, and their stories, filled with hilarious fairy-tale twists, are sure to enchant. Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Be an eyewitness to all types of skeletons, whether you want to find out about the smallest bone in the human body or how many toes a horse has.

ISBN 9780751347364

Series
Eyewitness series
(36 books)

Publisher Dorling Kindersley, 2002

Parker, Steve

Skinny mysteries series

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Skinny mysteries series
(6 books)

Ball, Duncan & David, Mark (ill)

120068

Skull alphabet book, The

To call it an alphabet book is really misleading. It is a science book and a remarkable study of mammal skulls. For each letter of the alphabet, the reader has to identify, by learning functions of facial bones and teeth, the skull of the mammal.

This is BB005's first special MetaBook mission. MetaBooks contain multiple battles over long periods of time, and nobody has ever explored one before. In this mission, BB005 will be flying blind. There'll be no contact with the outside world, and no instruction manual.

On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment. She casts aside her fine wedding clothes, takes her chain mail and sword, and follows her brave dwarf retainers into the tunnels under the mountain, towards the sleeping kingdom. This is a queen who will decide her own future. And, the princess who needs rescuing is not quite what she seems.

ISBN 9781408859643

Publisher Bloomsbury, 2014

Gaiman, Neil & Riddell, Chris (ill)

55178

Slightly skewed life of Toby Chrysler, The

Toby Chrysler's mum has been missing for more than a month. His new friend, Ginger, has lost her dad. And everyone is looking for Toby. An abandoned red shoe and some map coordinates help them in their search for their parents.

Mardi must be saved from the slimy prince of Pliskor. His friends had better find him.

ISBN 9781420211788

Series
Out of this world series
(15 of 16)

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2007

Collins, Paul & Lin, Matt (ill)

13355

Slippery slope, The

In the Mortmain Mountains, Klaus and Violet search for their sister Sunny who has been kidnapped by Count Olaf. The two groups are searching for the last safe place.

ISBN 9780064410137

Series
Series of unfortunate events
(10 of 13)

Publisher HarperCollins US, 2003

Snicket, Lemony

8937

Small change for Stuart

When ten year old Stuart moves to a new town at the beginning of the summer holidays, he expects to be bored. Soon, he is drawn into an intriguing adventure when he discovers his missing great uncle was an inventor and magician, who has left him the contents of his workshop, should he ever find it. There are clues and puzzles to solve but what starts as fun ends up as danger.

ISBN 9780385618007

Publisher Doubleday, 2011

Evans, Lissa

3159

Small things

An ordinary boy in an ordinary world. This wordless picture book tells the story of a boy who feels alone with his worries but who learns that help is always close by.

Smith is a twelve year old pickpocket who finds himself involved in murder, suspense and the London underworld.

ISBN 9780374467623

Publisher Sunburst, 2000

Garfield, Leon

1670

Smooch and Rose

When Rose and Gran save a baby koala from a pack of blood-hungry dogs, Rose is so happy - caring for bush babies is her dream. But things change for the worse when Gran gets a letter from the bank. Then Uncle Malcolm mentions bulldozers and Rose realises it's not just her that's at stake.

Red Read's life takes a surprising and alarming turn when his mother sells him to an infamous smuggler, plying his trade off the north-west coast of Australia. From terrifying encounters with cut-throat pirates to battling the forces of nature in a tropical typhoon, from dining with head-hunting guerrillas to making meals of monkey stew, Red is in for a hair-raising adventure that may cost him his life.

Snakes are fascinating creatures. Find out how they live, mate, move and eat. Take a look at the different types of snakes all over the world, and their bizarre and peculiar habits. Explore the slithery world of snakes.

Well-presented factual information and stunning photographs about Australian reptiles. Includes a comprehensive glossary, a quiz section and suggested books to read and web sites to view for further information.

Very Yummy Stories.Stop your mum picking her nose, read the secret diary of a dog, catch a bus and then let it go, discover how one slice of toast can make you the most popular person in school, start wearing a crown and give up eating pig-nostril gruel, use a wrecking ball to defeat a bully, show your big sister the very scary secret in your wardrobe, unleash the awesome power of chips, live in a house that gets wiped clean more often than a bottom. Funny stories from a favourite Australian author, Morris Gleitzman.

A useful overview of the process of writing for aspiring writers. Excerpts from books and helpful addresses and websites are included.

ISBN 9780750236478

Publisher Hodder Children's Books (Australia), 2003

Bradman, Tony

79395

Soccer camp

The Team is excited to be going to Soccer Camp. They are a little nervous to be playing against the best of the best. They are even more nervous that they will be sent home if anyone finds out that Mark 1 is a robot.

ISBN 9781877003455

Publisher Little Hare Books, 2004

Bedford, David & Brumpton, Keith (ill)

365

Soccer: great moments, great players in world football

Written by a keen fan of the sport, this book highlights some of the key aspects of soccer, its followers and players.

Ivy and her mother live in Australia, far away from where the Great War is raging. Ivy writes to her father, who is fighting overseas, all about life at home. About the socks and sandbags she and her friends make and the leeches they catch to sell to the hospital. The war keeps dragging on and she keeps on writing, hoping her dad returns safe.

George has no interest in exploring the world. He's far too busy at home baking fine pastries. That's what he tells everyone when they invite him along on their wonderful adventures. But, George's friend, Pascal, digs a little deeper.

When young Peat is blamed for bringing misfortune to the local settlement, she flees to the marshes. There she is caught by a marsh auntie whose trade is stories that act as gateways, and Peat finds herself trapped in somebody else's life-and-death bargain.

Frank doesn't know how to feel when Nick Underbridge rescues her from bullies one afternoon. No one likes Nick. He's big, he's weird and he smells- or so everyone in Frank's class thinks. And yet, there's something nice about Nick's house. There's strange music playing there, and it feels light and good and makes Frank feel happy for the first time in forever. But there's more to Nick, and to his house, than meets the eye, and soon Frank realises she isn't the only one keeping secrets. Or the only one who needs help.

ISBN 9781408853368

Publisher Bloomsbury, 2016

Harrold, A.F. & Pinfold, Levi (ill)

19214

Song of the dove

The compelling story of the Italian composer Bellini's rise to fame and his forbidden love.

ISBN 9781921529245

Publisher Walker Books, 2011

Broome, Errol & Kretschmar, Sonia (ill)

98778

Songlines and stone axes

Magical pearl-shell pendants, greenstone axe-heads, belts made of human hair, outriggers for canoes, songs and dances, body paint, feathers, extra strong glue, cloaks made of 80 possum skins sewn with kangaroo sinew were traded around Australia before white settlement. All this happened without money until the Macassans and then the Europeans arrived.

Sophie has an important but terrifying role to play in the Second World War. As a citizen of France during German occupation, her youth and frequent bike rides to visit other towns enable her to pass messages under the enemy's nose. She becomes deeply involved in the French resistance and a daring plan to save a young Scottish soldier.

ISBN 9781407108650

Series
My story
(16 books)

Publisher Scholastic UK, 2009

Atkins, Jill

972

Space

This books explores the wonders and dangers of outer space, from Earth's barren Moon and the red surface of Mars to the airless emptiness that is space itself. Find out all about spacecraft and the astronauts who ride them up into the void.

ISBN 9781474906890

Series
Usborne beginners plus series
(16 books)

Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2012

Stowell, Louie & Fox, John (ill) & Roots, Adrian (ill)

Space brigade series

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Space brigade series
(3 books)

Moriarty, L M

4123

Space games

Multicultural science fiction about Johnny, who joins a team of cadets chosen to combat an alien force that threatens the world.

All the kids on space station Nova are mad about three-D. Luke wants to join the team but doesn't know how.

ISBN 9781420218657

Series
Out of this world series
(5 of 16)

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2007

Odgers, Sally, Lin, Matt (ill) & Lin, Aaron (ill)

5619

Spaced out

Centuria, a planet full of new technology and fascinating inventions. A great place for Jesse to spend his two hundred and fifty space credits that he's brought with him from Earth. But, when he rescues a human-like robot boy, Jesse must go deep into the Farlands around the city to help Michael find his family. Jesse wonders if he will be able to get back to Earth.

Spartacus, the gladiator who fought for and against the Romans, had a life full of surprises. Learn about the Roman Empire and Spartacus's story from amassing an army inside a volcano to the crucifixion of six thousand slaves.

ISBN 9780439981873

Publisher Scholastic UK, 2004

Brown, Toby & Goddard, Clive (ill)

80200

Spartan Hoplites, The

Find out about the ancient Greek state of Sparta and the bloody battles of soldiers in the Spartan army. Lots of fascinating snippets of information and explanations of foreign or ancient words.

ISBN 9781420267891

Series
Ancient and Medieval people series
(6 books)

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2009

Park, Louise & Love, Timothy

109697

Special effects

Movies show us places and creatures that only exist in our wildest dreams. From terrifying monsters to galaxies far beyond the reaches of our own, come behind the scenes and discover the secrets of this movie magic.

Meet the elite soldiers who have been through the toughest training on Earth to take on the most dangerous missions. This thrilling insight into the secret assignments of the SAS, Navy Seals, HALO and more.

ISBN 9781474914345

Series
Usborne beginners plus series
(16 books)

Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2013

Brook, Henry & Johnson, Staz (ill)

4134

Specky Magee

Specky Magee is mad about Australian Rules Football, but nobody comes to see him play. He finds a photo of himself as a baby in footy gear and thinks that he might be adopted. Now he is off to find his father.

As Specky battles it out in the state carnival for a chance to play on the hallowed MCG turf, back at school he has a fight on his hands just to be allowed to play with his beloved Booyong Lions. And when his long-lost grandpa comes to visit, it's all-out war at home as well. Specky's loyalty to his friends, his team and to AFL will be tested like never before.

Specky has been selected to represent Australia in International Rules football, against Ireland in a two-test competition. The team is the best that Australia has but the pressure is on, with a new set of rules to learn and skills to perfect with the round ball. Specky has some serious decisions to make about his future before he returns home.

Thirteen year old Simon 'Specky' Magee is mad about Australian Rules Football. He is known for his Speck-tacular marking ability and goal kicking. Specky's change of school leads to divided loyalties in a sport where that is not tolerated.

Thirteen year old Simon 'Specky' Magee is mad about Australian Rules Football. He is known for his Speck-tacular marking ability and goal kicking. A popular television show runs a nationwide contest to find a great footy champion.

Thirteen year old Simon 'Specky' Magee is mad about Australian Rules Football. He is known for his Speck-tacular marking ability and goal kicking. The Booyong High Lions return for the second half of the season but Specky finds himself sidelined.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Specky Magee series
(8 books)

Arena, Felice & Lyon, Garry (ill)

4392

Spectacular Spencer Gray, The

Spencer Gray is just an ordinary kid, but he manages to get into some pretty extraordinary situations. Playing soccer at school with his mates he accidentally uncovers a sinister operation and rescues a super-endangered marsupial, but in the process he risks becoming super-endangered himself.

The spider entices the fly to come on inside. The fly is not convinced but flattery is so hard to ignore.

ISBN 9781743478172

Publisher Simon & Schuster, 2003

Howitt, Mary & Diterlizzi, Tony (ill)

80496

Spider bite

When Sam's twin brothers are carried off in a runaway hot-air balloon, Sam tries to save them, only to end up trapped himself. What starts as a joyride turns into a life and death struggle when Jordan is bitten by a funnel-web spider.

Spiderlings are baby spiders. This is a lavishly illustrated and factually accurate book about spiders and their families that is both fascinating and just a little bit creepy - in the nicest possible way.

The Grace children enter the world of faeries, and explore the Spiderwick estate and surrounding areas to see what is unseen to most humans but themselves. Introduces Mallory, thirteen, and Jared and Simon, nine.

ISBN 9780689859366

Series
The Spiderwick chronicles series
(1 of 5)

Publisher Simon & Schuster, 2003

Black, Holly & Di Terlizzi, Tony (ill)

13793

Spiderwick chronicles, The: Ironwood tree, The

The Grace children enter the world of faeries and explore the Spiderwick estate and surrounding areas to see what is unseen to most humans but themselves. Doppelgangers, dwarves and a dastardly double-cross mean more surprises in store for the Graces.

ISBN 9780689859397

Series
The Spiderwick chronicles series
(4 of 5)

Publisher Simon & Schuster, 2004

Black, Holly & Di Terlizzi, Tony (ill)

13792

Spiderwick chronicles, The: Lucinda's secret

The Grace children enter the world of faeries and explore the Spiderwick estate and surrounding areas. The boggart is making life difficult for Jared, but the whole family is in grave danger if they remain at Spiderwick.

ISBN 9780689859380

Series
The Spiderwick chronicles series
(3 of 5)

Publisher Simon & Schuster, 2003

Black, Holly & Di Terlizzi, Tony (ill)

12625

Spiderwick chronicles, The: Seeing stone, The

The Grace children enter the world of faeries and explore the Spiderwick estate and surrounding areas to see what is unseen to most humans but themselves. They discover the fate of the missing cat and the power of the seeing stone.

ISBN 9780689859373

Series
The Spiderwick chronicles series
(2 of 5)

Publisher Simon & Schuster, 2003

Black, Holly & Di Terlizzi, Tony (ill)

15531

Spiderwick chronicles, The: Wrath of Mulgarath

The Grace children enter the world of faeries. Mallory, Jared and Simon return to their home from the underground kingdom of the dwarfs, to find it ransacked and their mother missing. It ends with a dramatic rescue and the demise of Mulgarath.

ISBN 9780689859403

Series
The Spiderwick chronicles series
(5 of 5)

Publisher Simon & Schuster, 2004

Black, Holly & Di Terlizzi, Tony (ill)

Spirit Animals series

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Various

21577

Spirit animals: Against the tide

The sun is shining in the Hundred Isles but the path forward seems crowded with shadows. Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan have travelled across the world, seeking a set of powerful talismans to keep them from enemy hands. They have been hounded by pursuers, who always seem to know just where to find them. Now, they know why. One of them is a traitor. Before this mission is over, a deadly trap will close around them.

ISBN 9781743620021

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic Australia, 2014

Sutherland, Tui T

8848

Spirit animals: Blood ties

In Erdas, the spirit animal bond bridges the human and animal worlds. Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan have this special gift and the grave responsibility that comes with it. But, the Conquerors are trying to destroy this balance by swallowing whole cities, in their rush for power. Meilin has set off into enemy territory with her spirit animal, a panda named Jhi. Her friends aren't far behind but the enemy is everywhere.

ISBN 9781743620007

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic Australia, 2014

Nix, Garth & Williams, Sean (ill)

15926

Spirit animals: Evertree, The

Once ordinary kids, Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan discovered they had spirit animals, wise and powerful partners who granted them amazing gifts and a legendary responsibility. The team has travelled far, fought together, won challenges and lost friends. Before their journey ends, they must fight against an ancient enemy, breaking free from his prison. They have just one chance to win or the whole world will shatter.

ISBN 9781743620045

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic Australia, 2015

Lu, Marie

36375

Spirit animals: Fire and ice

The Conquerors continue to fight to take over Erdas. Only Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan, supported by the gifts of their legendary spirit animals, have the power to defeat an evil takeover. In the cold North, the heroes arrive at a quiet village where not everything is as it seems. Finding the truth in this deceptively beautiful place won't be easy. The team is already out of time and the Conquerors are right behind them.

ISBN 9781743620014

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic US, 2014

Hale, Shannon

4753

Spirit animals: Hunted

In the world of Erdas, only a very few, including Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan, can summon the animal spirit. This allows them to access more than human abilities. But, now, there may be a new force with selfish intentions that can create its own spirit animal. The four young heroes face a brutal confrontation against an enemy who will break any rule to defeat them.

ISBN 9781742839998

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic Australia, 2014

Stiefvater, Maggie

20516

Spirit animals: Rise and fall

Deep in the desert sits a beautiful oasis, ruled by a monarch unlike any other in Erdas. Cabaro, the Great Lion, reigns over a kingdom of animals, jealously guarding his golden talisman. No human has ever set foot in the Great Beast's territory. With the world crumbling around them and a ruthless enemy opposing their every move, Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan must make their greatest sacrifices.

ISBN 9781743620038

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic Australia, 2015

Schrefer, Eliot

8512

Spirit animals: Tales of the great beasts

In the world of Erdas, four noble animals, Briggan the Wolf, Uraza the Leopard, Jhi the Panda and Essix the Falcon, sacrificed everything to protect their homes from the ambitions of a mad king. With a brave resistance of humans and animals, they gave their lives to protect the world from a threat more dangerous than any it had seen before, their own kind.

ISBN 9781743628812

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic US, 2013

Mull, Brandon & others

5697

Spirit animals: Wild born

Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers. A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now, the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers, Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan.

ISBN 9780545522434

Series
Spirit Animals series
(8 books)

Publisher Scholastic Australia, 2013

Mull, Brandon

12452

Spook's shack

Deep in the bush, Finn discovers an old, deserted shack. When a dog growls and a gravely voice snarls, Finn's hair stands up like bristles on a brush. But, there are greater dangers for this beautiful, bushland environment.

Discover the world of espionage, from the tools of the early spymaster to the electronic surveillance of today.

ISBN 9780751360769

Series
Eyewitness series
(36 books)

Publisher Dorling Kindersley, 1996

Platt, Richard & Dann, Geoff & Gorton, Steve (phot)

7578

Spying

The secrets of the shadowy world of spies, their dangerous missions and secret identities are revealed. Find out about the control officers, field agents and intelligence analysts fighting a secret war to protect their countries from threats around the globe.

ISBN 9781409550143

Series
Usborne beginners plus series
(16 books)

Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 1914

Brook, Henry

81330

Spying game, The

Pssst, find out what it takes to be a spy, about real spies and spy work.

It's 1934 and the Great Centenary Air Race from London to Melbourne will be the biggest and most exciting race that the world has ever seen. Ten year old Jack longs to see the race but he lives in Albury, miles away from the action. But, when a giant Dutch plane is lost in a terrible thunderstorm over Albury, Jack finds himself part of the action.

Star and her mum used to manage. Now mum's old friend Charlie has moved in and life is topsy-turvy. Star knows she wants a horse and needs a new best friend. But how is that going to happen when no one is listening to her?

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Star League series
(8 books)

Various

4671

Star League: Box office smash

The Star League are at the premiere for one of their films when Professor Pestilence's henchmen kidnap producer, Ben Beaumont. Before the Star League can act, six mysterious figures show up and challenge them. They are the Shadow Six, six kids with superpowers and they're not in the mood to make friends. To save Ben, Star League must defeat the Shadow Six and another mysterious villain.

Connor's having trouble fitting in with the rest of the Star League and when the group suspects a werewolf might be behind a savage attack, it only makes matters worse. As they search for the attacker's trail, they discover that the mystery werewolf may not be what he seems, and that his evil scheme may rob Connor of the very thing that makes him who he is.

The Star League are defenceless when the Shadow Six use the Shadow Shards to steal their powers. The team must retrieve these shards in order to get their talents back but not before they uncover the real identity of their arch-enemy, Professor Pestilence.

When Jay is invited to audition for his favourite director, Ben Beaumont, he is overjoyed. But, things are not as they seem. When someone close to him is kidnapped, Jay knows he has no choice. He must step up to head the team.

Le Nice Pets is all the rage among the rich and famous. Aunt Petunia promises to turn your misbehaving pets into perfect angels. But, Leigh suspects something's not right and, when animals go missing, it's time for the Star League to step in. But, the closer they get to finding the missing animals, the more dangerous it becomes for those close to Leigh.

Asuka is finding the constant attention of being a movie star a real drain. So, when all the ninja clans are called to a secret location, Asuka welcomes the chance to relax with her fellow ninjas, out of the way of prying eyes. But, when she learns what the meeting is really about, relaxing is the last thing on Asuka's mind. It seems the ninjas are uniting against one common enemy, the Star League.

Roger is having a great time in the Star League, pulling pranks on his friends. But, when someone steals formulas for his magic potions, it's no joke. Roger needs those potions to survive. He must fight an ancient evil to get back his potions before they're used to raise an army of mummies.

Sam is one of the smartest kids on earth but there are lots of things he doesn't quite get. When Sam gets to be too much of a know-it-all for his friends, he accepts a mysterious offer of help, a computer chip that will make him more like a normal kid. But, the chip is encoded with more than just emotions and, soon, Sam finds himself being controlled by an old enemy and obeying orders.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Star of Deltora series
(4 books)

Various

35736

Star of Deltora: Hungry Isle, The

Britta of Del wants nothing less than to be the new Apprentice Trader of the Rosalyn fleet. Family and friends, and even the terrible secret of her parentage, will not stop her. But, it will be difficult to succeed when her true identity must surely be guessed by the crew of the Star of Deltora, and by Trader Mab, who knew her father. Relying on her wits and the kind acts of friends she makes along the way, Britta is drawn closer and closer to her terrible destiny.

Britta has always wanted to be a trader like her father, sailing the nine seas and bringing home precious cargo. But, her father's quest to find the fabled Staff of Tier ended in blood and horror. His shamed family is in hiding and his ship now belongs to the powerful Rosalyn fleet. When Britta gets the chance to win back her future, she knows she has to take it. But, shadows from a distant, haunted isle are watching her every move.

Britta of Del wants nothing less than to be the new Apprentice Trader of the Rosalyn fleet. Family and friends, and even the terrible secret of her parentage, will not stop her. But, it will be difficult for her to succeed when her true identity must surely be guessed by Trader Mab, who knew her father, and the crew of the Star of Deltora. Relying on no more than her wits and the kind acts of friends whom she makes along the way, Britta is drawn closer and closer to her terrible destiny.

Britta is now aboard the Star of Deltora, with her three rivals for the Trader Rosalyn Apprenticeship. Nothing can prepare Britta for the terror that awaits her in the perilous, forbidden swamplands of Two Moons.

Aimee is tired of playing second fiddle to Serena Sweetmay, who it seems, can do no wrong and is great at everything. Aimee is determined to outdo Serena when her class is asked to present the school Christmas play.

Marion, a wooden doll, has her loyal friends, Harley, and Polka, the dog. Marion longs for adventure and is lured by the world of glamour and fame. She becomes a glamorous Star but learns, painfully, that stardom has a use-by-date.

Lachlan Macquarie is celebrated for his inspired infrastructure building, as well as his enlightened treatment of convicts and emancipists. His treatment of the Aboriginal population, however, was far from enlightened. So how should history remember this towering figure of Australia's past- founding father or failure?

Stevie has a lot of dreams - more friends at school, better drawing pencils and a pony. When her brother becomes sick, her world is filled with trips to the hospital, where she becomes friends with Lara, an older girl who has cancer.

Mr Murlin is not an ordinary teacher. His rules are amazing, like eating chocolate in class is compulsory. Johnny and Max love being in his class but still get into lots of scrapes. Contains language and actions that may offend some readers.

Find out how steam power changed Australia. You can read about paddle steamers trading up and down the nation's waterways, steam-powered factories churning out everything from biscuits to iron ships, new railways slashing travel times and all kinds of new jobs for fettlers and firemen, puddlers and pumpers, barge-masters and billy-boys.

In 1932, ten year old Stella lives in the segregated South of the United States. Some stores she can go into, others she can't. Some folks are right pleasant, others less so. To Stella, it sort of evens out, and the Klu Klux Klan hasn't bothered them for years. But, one late night, Stella and her little brother see something they're never supposed to see, something that is the first flicker of change to come. As Stella's community and her world are upended, she decides to fight fire with fire. She learns that ashes don't necessarily signify an end.

ISBN 9781442494985

Publisher Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016

Draper, Sharon M

12413

Stella by the sea

Stella wants a private property that she can call her own, a cubbyhouse with an ocean view. A little advertisement in the newspaper changes her life.

Stick Dog and his team of strays are off on another outrageous canine caper. To snatch some breakfast treats for his hungry pals, Stick Dog will need to stop a moving truck, outfox a man on a telephone pole, and calm down a very caffeinated Karen. But that's not all. He'll also need to manage the greatest confrontation in history when his good friend Poo-Poo comes face-to-face with the ultimate enemy; a squirrel! With Stick Dog's smarts, daring, loyalty and patience he just might lead his buddies to the best breakfast ever.

ISBN 9780062457158

Publisher Harper, 2016

Watson, Tom

30306

Sting

Ziggy's not your average bee in a box. He does not fit in with the honey bees in his hive. He knows that he is different and is determined to find out why. His decision to leave Bee City leads Ziggy into danger and new friendships. Share Ziggy's exciting adventure and find out a lot more about bees, too.

ISBN 9781921150890

Publisher Walker Books Australia Pty Ltd, 2009

Huber, Raymond

382

Stinky cheese man and other fairly stupid tales, The

In this collection of traditional stories, the retelling does not resemble the original tales at all. The humour in this book is in its unusual design.

When a gargoyle comes to life and saves Craig from jumping to his death in the city of Edinburgh, Craig is pulled into a high paced world of murder, crime and mystery. A new crime fighting team that includes a hard-nosed priest, a demon gargoyle and a young boy is formed and they will need their wit, skills and a little luck to solve the mysterious murders that are plaguing the citys streets.

Adventurous, humorous series for 3-4. Any two books from this series may be read as Challenge books; up to five more can be read as personal choice books. Go to the Series lists for individual book titles.

Series
Stopwatch series
(4 books)

Morgan, Sally & Kwaymullina, Ambelin, Blade & Ezekiel

7920

Stopwatch: the land of Dragonay

No sooner had Tom come back from his last mission, than Grandpa sends him on the next. Grandpa has discovered a dragon egg about to hatch. Tom, Bilby and Mother Bird, head to Dragonay, taking the egg with them but the residents of Dragonay don't trust humans and all the dragons have disappeared.

A stopwatch has sixty thin black lines, each marking off the seconds in a minute. But in grandfathers' stopwatch they are also gateways to different worlds. Tom just can't wait to borrow it. He soon finds himself sucked into a very different world indeed, a world of monsters and warfare.

At his grandfather's request, Tom and Bilby, are sent to save the Land of Mirthful. Tom is welcomed by the grumpy Queen Mavis, who threatens anyone who laughs with the punishment of death. But she is not the rightful ruler of the Land of Mirthful and without a proper queen their world as they know it is doomed.

Another light-hearted, but scary, bundle of stories where Prudence and her best friend, Phredde the phaery, have to escape a grey fleshed, zombie librarian tending her blood-starved books and other unmentionables such as giant slugs.

Prudence is invited by her father's distant werewolf cousins to their gloomy castle to hunt for some missing treasure. Phredde and Bruce accompany Prudence who is well aware that, if she fails, her father will have to take her place. The zombie librarian and the castle banshee makes a reappearance. This book is also known as 'Phredde and the temple of gloom'.

A graphic guide to evolution and life forms, starting with the first single-cell organisms and ending with modern life forms. Explore extraordinary land, sky and sea creatures, from algae to Archaeopteryx and Pterygotus to Tyrannosaurus Rex. Each life form, whether tiny bacteria or ice-age megafauna, represents its period in earth's history and shows life's incredible diversity.

The bay was awash with stranded whales. Their high-pitched calls filled the air. Ben had to get help. Based on the true story of a town whose people saved 120 beached whales, Stranded is the story of one little whale, and the boy who risked his life to save it.

Rachel and the other Animorphs have finally found the new entrance to the Yeerk pool. The infamous roach morph. But, they didn't know that roaches are a Taxxon delicacy. This time, escape doesn't look so good. The Animorphs are in for their wildest trip ever. They have the chance to decide whether they want to stay on Earth and fight the Yeerks or go to another planet. The guy giving them the choice says he can save them.

ISBN 9780590997263

Series
The Animorphs series
(7 of 10)

Publisher Scholastic US, 1997

Applegate, K A

Strangest adventures series

Millipop Klompet lives in stultifyingly boring Drabville, with her slightly offbeat family and spends her days longing for adventure. Any two books from this series may be read as Challenge books; up to five more can be read as personal choice books. Go to the Series lists for individual book titles.

Series
Strangest adventures series
(3 books)

Adornetto, Alexandra

12945

Streets: extreme sports

One of a series of books about extreme sports. With action photographs, extreme facts, street jargon and a glossary of terms, this book tells you all you've ever wanted to know about sports on the streets.

ISBN 9780732964634

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2001

Chapman, Garry

18517

Striker, The

Depicts the story of a soccer team and their quest to make the finals. A new player joins the team and suffers the taunts of others because he cannot speak English. He is a very proficient player and helps to achieve some victories on and off the field.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Series
Stuff happens series
(12 books)

Various

13978

Stuff happens: Cooper

Stuff happens sometimes. For Cooper, it happened on school camp. When his former-rugby-champion grandfather dies, Cooper has trouble dealing with it. To make matters worse, the funeral falls on the first day of the Year Five camp so Cooper misses out on the bus trip with his friends, doing abseiling, and sharing a cabin with his friends. When Cooper disobeys a kayak instructors' directions, he puts both his life and that of his paddle-buddy Lily Ng in serious danger.

Stuff happens sometimes. Everyday stuff. At school, at home, with sport, with mates. For Dale, it happened during a school play when he decides to take revenge on Dan, the coolest kid in school. Dale intends to embarrass Dan during the finale of their school play.

Stuff happens sometimes. For Ethan, it happened when he thought his best friend didn't like him anymore. Ethan is not just bookish, he's book-obsessed, and possibly the only boy with a mother begging him to put a book down so he can make friends.Ethan doesn't make friends easily so when he bonds with Trent over a dinosaur book, his world changes. But, when Trent discovers downball, Ethan thinks that he's lost his best and only friend.

Stuff happens sometimes. For Fadi, it happened when he got in trouble for tackling Jack at lunchtime. Fadi is big and strong, and hasn't quite grown into his body. He's a gun on the rugby field where his strength and size is an advantage but, off the field and out of home, he sometimes breaks things. With the help of his uncle and cousins, Fadi learns to put some grace in his movement and to develop some seriously cool dance moves.

Stuff happens sometimes. For Harry it happened in art class. All Harry wants is to fly through school under the radar. He's decided that being good at something means attention and, in Harry's case, that attention is more than unwanted. During an excursion to an art gallery, Harry is really unenthusiastic and bored. That is, until he sees a certain painting.

Sean is in Year Five at his new school. He doesn't play soccer and doesn't like his new friend copying his maths homework. When Sean forgets his hat and has to sit in the shade, he discovers that there are kids he likes at this new school.

Stuff happens sometimes. For Tom Connors, it happened during a tennis match. Tom is a very good tennis player but he struggles to control his nerves in a match, particularly on his serve. His left arm seems to have a mind of its own. When he held match point against Zac in the club championship, only to serve a double fault and lose the match, Connor thinks about this loss all the time. His serve and game have got progressively worse ever since.

Find out if you should be a stunt performer, working in movies and in the circus.

ISBN 9780732998134

Series
Extreme jobs series
(5 of 6)

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2005

Hyland, Tony

33584

Stupendously spectacular spelling bee, The

India Wimple is a brilliant speller. When her family tries to convince her to enter the Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee competition, India is reluctant. She remembers the stage fright she got in the school play and she certainly doesn't want to repeat that experience. And, there's also Summer Millicent, who's determined to win and isn't afraid to step on anyone who gets in her way.

Find out all about the different types of submarines, what they're used for and what it's like to live in one. Includes exciting photographs, diagrams and comic strips, plus fold-out pages that reveal the hidden workings of a submarine.

ISBN 9780746099612

Series
Usborne beginners plus series
(16 books)

Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2011

Firth, Alex

77350

Sucked in

When Zainey, the brunt of class jokes, sells his prized bike to purchase a mysterious and magic eye, Dan decides to save Zainey from his own stupidity and this useless joke. The eye, however, is not joking. The eye is seriously after blood and it could be Zainey's or Dan's blood that it gets.

Find out why the sun is so hot and big, how it relates to the seasons and why planets orbit the sun. Lots of fascinating facts and photographs about the sun and the solar system.

ISBN 9781420211962

Series
New Solar System, The series
(13 of 12)

Publisher MacMillan, 2007

Birch, Robin

1393

Sunker's deep

Sequel to Ice breaker. Sharkey was born and bred in submarines and has become a hero amongst his community. Tragedy strikes and he must decide how to proceed, does he and his fellow Sunkers help the Ice Breakers and work together to beat the Devouts.

Sunny Hathaway is eleven years old, an only child, an introvert, a dog lover and part-owner of Pizza-a-Go-Girl, home made pizza delivery service. And, one summer, everything and everyone in her life changes including one step-dad, two siblings, one best friend, one sworn enemy and one long lost grandmother.

Connor is happy to be a nerd, but when he reaches his selective school he finds there are better nerds, Super-nerds. His friends aren't around to support him and he hasn't any new ones. But slowly and because of an almost unwinnable challenge he finds new friends called the nerdy rejects, and he has time to pursue his real destiny- drawing comic books.

Jacob John Smith, a student at Glenfield High School, is tired of getting into trouble and being pushed around by the school bully. When Jacob discovers that he has a special power, he wonders whether to use the power to be a superhero or a supervillian.

In the school holidays, Mum tells Jack and his annoying, younger sister, Samantha, that all the family are going on a holiday to the Gold Coast. Family means Nanna, sort-of-step dad Rob and his son, Leo, as well as Jack's friend, Anna.

Professor Perdu wants to try out her latest creation, the 2.2 metre tall super soldier, Tex. However, an accident in the Tome Tower means that a Battle Book has been sucked into another Battle Book. Together, BB005 and Tex must retrieve the missing Battle Book, before it falls into the wrong hands.

Tiger is an ordinary, tubby, tabby cat who likes to sleep. Tiger's owner, James, is disappointed because he wanted a fun pet, like a wolf. One day, Tiger licks a toxic sock and is transformed into SuperCat. With his brand new powers and his best friend James, SuperCat must try to save the world, and all the chips, from the dastardly Count Backwards.

ISBN 9780007518630

Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2014

Willis, Jeanne

4282

Superfudge

The family is moving, mum is going to have another baby and Peter's brother, Fudge, is a constant embarrassment. He learns how to ride a bike but not how to stop. He tries to sell his baby sister and calls his kindergarten teacher, Rat Face.

ISBN 9780330398169

Series
Fudge series
(3 of 5)

Publisher Pan Macmillan US, 1998

Blume, Judy

27549

Superhero street

Michael Mouse lives in a very chaotic household, with younger brothers, a set of twins and a set of triplets. His father is a magician, struggling to keep the household afloat. Mouse sees himself as an aspiring super hero but, when his father suddenly leaves home, Mouse must do more to help around the house. Michael Mouse begins to think he'll never get his chance to be a superhero.

One of a series of books about extreme sports. All you've ever wanted to know about the sport of surfing with a glossary of terms and surf jargon, and extreme facts throughout the book.

ISBN 9780732964610

Publisher Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd, 2001

Chapman, Garry

67367

Surface tension

When Cassie and Liam start swimming at the lake, neither of them realises the dark secrets that lie beneath. As summer heats up, the water level gets lower and lower, and a shocking truth is slowly uncovered.

The surrealists were a clever and cheeky bunch of artists and poets, who loved breaking the rules of art and finding new ways to look at the world. They enjoyed inventing and playing games with word and pictures. You can find out about the main surrealists and have fun at home playing some of their most surreal games and activities.

This book is about surviving extreme danger, from howling storms to being cast away at sea. Young readers can discover amazing true survival stories of people stranded alone in the wildest places on Earth, and find out simple and useful survival techniques.

ISBN 9781409564218

Series
Usborne beginners plus series
(16 books)

Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2014

Brook, Henry

67362

Survival

We all hope that sinking ships, plane crashes, landmines, landslides and other terrible disasters never happens to us. Read about people who have lived to tell their tales.

Presented in a magazine style, this book provides excellent information about, and photographs of, animals who survive in various difficult habitats around the world.

ISBN 9780751339222

Publisher Dorling Kindersley, 2002

Taylor, Barbara & Few, Roger (cons)

394

Swallows and Amazons

This series is for sailing and boating fans who love adventures on the water.

ISBN 9780099427339

Publisher Red Fox, 2001

Ransome, Arthur

49867

Swan kingdom, The

Alexandra is a princess, albeit by her own description, a very plain looking one. She lives happily with the Queen and her three talented brothers but less happily with her father, the King. After her mother is killed by a terrible beast, Alexandra is banished to stay with her aunt and her brothers are exiled. Alexandra must find the inner strength to oppose her step-mother, restore her brothers and, thereby, heal the land.

ISBN 9780744529272

Publisher Walker Books, 2007

Marriott, Zoe

4288

Swan song

Mitch Bird, the son of a wildlife ranger, rescues and raises two pelican chicks and hatches a black swan from its abandoned nest. It is a struggle for Mitch to reproduce the natural environment for two pelicans and a black swan.

Peter's saviour from the school bullies is an unlikely hero dressed in a cape who speaks in old-fashioned English. An exciting, heart-warming story about bringing the truth out in people. A realistic stories with non-stop action.